New Delhi, March 19 -- New research challenges the idea that modern humans emerged from a single population, suggesting instead that our genetic lineage traces back to two ancient groups that intermingled 300,000 years ago.

Modern humans likely originated from two ancient populations, with one group contributing 80 per cent and another providing 20 per cent of our genetic makeup, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Genetics.

The paper suggested that Homo sapiens descended from Homo erectus and Homo heidelbergensis, but researchers noted that further evidence was needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Homo sapiens likely first appeared on Earth 300,000 years ago after diverging from their ancestors. However, scientists ...